1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of both gaseous and liquid fluid transport and more specifically, to a connector for creating a releasable fluid seal connection between one or more sections of tubing and a female latch.
2. Description of Related Art
Tubing sections are often joined together to provide for gas and/or liquid fluid flow from one component to another. Thus, it is often desirable to connect and disconnect tubing sections from one another. For example, when a patient's blood pressure is taken with an automatic blood pressure monitor, tubing from the blood pressure cuff (which is generally wrapped around the patient's arm) is connected to the tubing that is connected to the blood pressure monitor. To disconnect the cuff from the blood pressure monitor, it is desirable to merely detach the tubing section connected to the cuff from the tubing connected to the blood pressure monitor. Similarly, when providing intravenous fluids, it is often required to replace an empty fluid bag with a full fluid bag without removing the intravenous needle or stent from the patient. In order to switch between the first fluid bag and the second fluid bag, it is desirable to merely detach a tubing section connected with the fluid bag to the tubing section connected with the needle or stent placed intravenously in the patient, which can then be easily connected with a tubing section connected with the new fluid bag.
Existing tubing connectors are prone to leakage and unwanted disconnection when the patient is still receiving treatment via the connected tubes due to side loads caused by the weight of the connected tubes and components, as well as accidental pulling of the tubes by the patient or medical personnel.
Furthermore, certain medical devices require the use of multiple tubes for supplying fluid between the patient and the device. For example, certain models of blood pressure monitors, such as the Dinamap Procare series, manufactured by General Electric, employ dual tubes for connecting the blood pressure cuff to the monitor. As such, a connector including multiple air passages for directing airflow between the tube segments is desirable, so as to avoid having to individually connect and disconnect multiple connectors when hooking or unhooking a patient to the monitor.
From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that a need exists for an improved bayonet connector that may connect one or more sections of tubing to create a gas and/or liquid fluid seal that cooperates with a female receiving connector to provide a more resilient connection and maintain a fluid-tight seal when the male bayonet connector is placed under axial tension or side load forces.
The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention is to be bound.